


triangles

by fangirlpurposes2020



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Drabble, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, No Plot/Plotless, Scott/Stiles/Theo Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25660075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirlpurposes2020/pseuds/fangirlpurposes2020
Summary: "Here," Lydia shoves her textbook to the space between them, practically blocking the way, and gestures at the drawings of shapes and flying numbers and equations littered on the book cover. She points to a particular shape in the middle. "Can you tell me what shape this is?"Theo stares at her dangerously blankly.Lydia is unfazed, pressing more firmly on the book cover."A fucking triangle, Lydia" Theo replies through grinding teeth."Right," she nods. "But what type?"Theo's frown grows darker and Stiles thinks for a moment that he's going to shove the textbook to Lydia's face out of irritation. Instead, Theo precariously peers at the cover for a few seconds and then bites down a response."Three congruent lengths on each side," Theo glares. "Equilateral."Lydia beams brightly. "Correct," she puts the book back onto her desk. "You'll get at least a C plus, I'm positive."
Relationships: Allison Argent/Scott McCall, Theo Raeken/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 4
Kudos: 66
Collections: Teen Wolf





	triangles

**Author's Note:**

> Plotless thingy with a bit of angst and side of fluff

_**i. equilateral** _

"Our class schedules match!" Stiles grins, scanning the papers raised on either side of his for comparison. And, yup, every single class, lunch, homeroom, and vacant periods listed similarly in the three papers ---like they're holding copy-and-paste versions of their schedule sheet if not for the different names on the top left corner of each copy they're holding.

"Awesome," Scott says as they start walking to the direction of the first period. "I finally managed to bribe dad, and a new Nintendo is waiting for us at home. It just arrived in the mail two days ago."

The hallways are packed with students both old and new, and raucous laughter and hyperactive greetings can be heard everywhere. Earlier, Stiles had a hard time finding a parking space for his Jeep ---looks like everyone is parading in wheels today. When he entered the hallways, he was jostled multiple times by excited seniors showing off new-found wrestling skills on the floors of BHHS that just conveniently appear on the busiest days of each school year ---the first days of new semesters--- because the roughhousing also just miraculously dwindle, if not disappear completely, on the second day. He'd met Scott on his locker and moments later, Theo joined them to walk together to the office for their semestral schedules.

They enter Geometry 3 minutes before the bell and find themselves seats close together. Scott and Stiles sit on the same row in adjacent columns while Theo chooses a desk directly behind Stiles's. Scott immediately launches in a dramatic retelling of his experience with his new game console, and the other two lean in to listen with a glimmer in their eyes. Will it give them a bad track record if they ditch classes on the first day? Because the game Scott is describing defeats the list of classes they have in terms of the level of interest. And Melissa can probably be swayed to make BLT.

"Why am I still surprised?" A voice cuts through their easily graphic and decidedly violent video-game conversation. They all look up to see Lydia Martin sliding into the empty seat behind Scott, giving them a sarcastic smile. "You three have been _inseparable_ since 4th grade."

"What are you doing here?" Scott asks, genuinely surprised to see the redhead in the same class. "Didn't you take this class in advance?"

Lydia huffs, twirling a perfect curl of hair. "Not math," she says. "I took the other subjects in advance but decided to leave alone the one thing that keeps me sane at school."

Theo scoffs, "And _of course_ , it's the exact thing that makes all of us plebians go insane."

Lydia preens and flutters her eyelids playfully, "Naturally."

"Well, I'm not complaining," Stiles says, sending Lydia a smile. "I can make use of the Lydia Martin _flawlessly-organized-basically-simpler-to-understand_ mathematics notes."

Lydia answers with a dimpled smile. "Anyway," she takes out the maths textbook from her book bag and lays it on top of her desk. "Geometry is pretty basic. The worst you can do is C-minus."

"Easy for you to say," Theo quips, rolling his eyes. "Ms. I-have-an-IQ-that's-the-summation-of-Scott's-Stiles's-and-Theo's."

"See? You're not bad in algebra." Lydia praises in a saccharine voice. "You can manage mediocre of this, Theo. It's only shapes."

Theo quirks an unamused brow as Stiles chuckles traitorously earning him a glare from Theo and Scott trying to send Theo a comforting smile that's bordering on a grimace.

"Here," Lydia shoves her textbook to the space between them, practically blocking the way, and gestures at the drawings of shapes and flying numbers and equations littered on the book cover. She points to a particular shape in the middle. "Can you tell me what shape this is?"

Theo stares at her dangerously blankly.

Lydia is unfazed, pressing more firmly on the book cover.

"A fucking triangle, Lydia" Theo replies through grinding teeth.

"Right," she nods. "But what type?"

Theo's frown grows darker and Stiles thinks for a moment that he's going to shove the textbook to Lydia's face out of irritation. Instead, Theo precariously peers at the cover for a few seconds and then bites down a response.

"Three congruent lengths on each side," Theo glares. "Equilateral."

Lydia beams brightly. "Correct," she puts the book back onto her desk. "You'll get at least a C-plus, I'm positive."

Theo rolls his eyes hard.

"All I'm saying is that," she shrugs. "In the end, it's all just shapes, lines, and angles. Easily identifiable."

Scott squints his eyes helpfully. "I don't think Theo's worry is about recognizing shapes, lines, and angles, Lyds. It's more about the measurements and calculations."

"Pfttt," she waves a dismissive hand. "Easy. Like the equilateral triangle. A = B = C. Like you guys." She gestures at the three. "An equilateral friendship triangle. You adore each other equally. Scott equals Stiles equals Theo. Amazingly simple, right?"

The bell rings for the first period and Theo absentmindedly traces the triangle on the front cover of his geometry textbook as the teacher drawls about the syllabus in front.

Scott equals Stiles equals Theo. 

Theo hums inwardly. Accurate. But that doesn't stop him from sparing Lydia a dirty look once in a while.

_**ii. scalene** _

"This is the _third_ time," Stiles exclaims, throwing his phone over his shoulder haphazardly to the direction of the bed. The blue contraption bounces once and then lays dead face-down in surrender. It's done its job. Stiles turns to Theo, frustration on his face. "The third time he's canceled on us, Theo. _This wee_ k."

Theo, from his perch on the windowsill, spares a glance at the aggravated teen currently pacing in his bedroom and then back down to the guitar he's idly strumming. "Scott has a girlfriend, Stilinski. We're going to have to learn to share."

Stiles pauses and sends Theo a disbelieving look. "Yes, but it's the third time this week he's bailed on us, didn't you hear what I said? It's only _Wednesday_!"

Theo shrugs non-committally.

Stiles scoffs at his friend's lack of furious. He collapses dramatically on the bed belly-down, picks his phone once again, and presses down on it harshly. "I don't understand how you could be chill about this."

Theo rolls his eyes.

"He never canceled on our hangouts this often before," Stiles glares at the contact photo of Scott as he sends yet another angry text.

Theo stands, "That's _because_ ," putting his guitar on the floor against the wall, and walks over to his bed to sit across from his enraged friend. "he didn't have a serious relationship before."

" _BS_ ," Stiles mutters darkly, the bluish light from his phone illuminating his face, creating an ethereal effect on the moles splattered all over his face. 

Theo glances away. It's actually a fairly mundane look for other people, but Stiles is far from _mundane_ in his eyes, so. He clears his throat, "So, are you still up for the Pizza House? Just... two of us?" 

Stiles's phone chimes a notification. Slowly, his face morphs from a deep scowl to a bright glint as he reads from it. "I have something even better." He grins at Theo with twinkling eyes.

***

"Are we really stalking Scott when he's out on a date?" Theo grumbles for the third time since Stiles hurriedly grabs him from his bedroom to the Jeep in less than 30 seconds and flies them across town at 10 in the evening.

"It is not a date when they're at a party, is it?" Stiles reasons for just about the same amount of time, if not more, and he's getting exasperated at Theo's insistence on turning around, leaving Scott alone with his girlfriend even though they're technically not on a date and just go through with the original plan of going to Pizza House and maybe catching on the late shows in the small theater just a fair distance away from the pizza place. 

" _Besides_ ," Stiles adds. "would you rather spend time with me than be at a party where you could dance with more attractive people and maybe go home with one by the end of the night?" Stiles gives Theo a teasing grin, wiggling his eyebrows playfully. 

Theo doesn't answer; just glowers at his reflection on the Jeep's window.

"I mean, when was the last time you got laid, dude?" Stiles chuckles. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were _interested_ in someone and declining sex offers for them."

Stiles stops behind a column of cars parked on the sidewalk in front of a huge, modern house, lit up everywhere and booming with people in every corner. They can hear the loud music from the inside.

Theo gets out of the Jeep, still irritated, and follows Stiles up the stone steps, to the concrete pathway, and into the foyer. Danny, another junior who shares many of their classes, and Scott and Stiles's lacrosse teammate, greet them with a blinding smile.

"Stiles!" He hugs Stiles and nods at Theo. "Theo. Glad you can make it."

"So where's Aramis, D'Artagnan?"

Danny snorts a laugh but leads them out to the pool area and points to the other side where, sure enough, Scott is seated on a wooden poolside bed, listening dutifully as Allison and Lydia chatter happily. Scott's eyes dart for a bit and quickly do a double-take. 

At first, he looks confused, and then surprised, and finally sheepish as he takes in Stiles's expression. He leans to whisper something to Allison and then stands immediately after she nods. 

Allison follows the direction Scott is going to and spots his boyfriend's two-thirds. She waves to them, and Stiles enthusiastically waves back while Theo, the brooding third of the whole, settles for a small nod. He looks annoyed like he doesn't want to be there. Allison shrugs and focuses back on Lydia who's talking to her about London and prissy ex-boyfriends she can't help but dote on.

Danny has offered Stiles and Theo with solo cups before vanishing in the crowd once again, probably greeting other friends he invited. Stiles realizes he doesn't even recognize most of the teenagers around. Probably from other high schools. Danny has always been a social butterfly anyway, so that shouldn't be a surprise.

Scott reaches them with a bashful look on his face like he's about to burst in apologies. "Hey," he glances at Theo ---who's still acting up, by the way, _seriously_ \--- and then back to Stiles. "I thought you'd be at the pizza place now, enjoying pizzas..." His eyes slide back to Theo. "together?"

Theo huffs and takes a sip from his cup.

"And I thought you'd be in a _private_ romantic date somewhere with your girlfriend," Stiles quips back, earning himself a slight wince from Scott. "But I guess many plans have been _canceled_ tonight."

"Look," Scott begins. "We _were_ supposed to go somewhere. But Lydia called Allison and threatened both of us with bodily harm if she doesn't come. It's Jackson's birthday and Danny is throwing this party for him and Lydia helped organize."

"On a school night and with the birthday boy 8 hours off our timezone?" Theo grumbles sourly.

Stiles hums. "It's almost 7 am there on the next day," he nods. "So technically, it is still Jackson's birthday here that he can virtually celebrate through this party. He's probably who they're calling right now," Stiles points ahead.

Scott and Theo follow his finger to Lydia holding up her phone in a monopod while she, Danny, Allison, and the party-goers are waving their hands and screaming birthday greetings to the screen. 

Stiles cups the sides of his mouth in a hand megaphone and yells too, "Happy Birthday, _Jacks-hole_!"

Theo shakes his head, "You seem surprisingly chipper now when just 30 minutes ago you're glaring murderously at your phone, feeling betrayed by Scott."

Stiles upends his solo cup, red tinges starting to appear in his cheeks. "It's a party, Theo." He grins at both his friends. "Besides, I can't stay mad at Scotty when he just got threatened by _Lydia_. That's enough bad karma for bailing on us."

Scott purses his lips.

"We can make this our boys' night out!" Stiles exclaims excitedly, waving his arms. "We haven't been to a party for ages. Theo, you should---" he moves in front of Theo and places both of his thumbs on the other boy's eyebrows, smoothing it out. Theo's just about to close his eyes at the intimate gesture when Stiles pulls back and grins. "That's better. Stop frowning. You should dance, pick up some guy or girl, and have fun." And in a softer smile, Stiles adds. "Beautiful people should have no problem picking up someone they like, so just go for it, you know?" 

Stiles's eyes are alight with something his friends can't name. He's always been a light drinker anyway so it's not all that astounding that Stiles is already buzzed. He puts his hands on Theo's shoulders and peers at his blue eyes. "Just stop second-guessing. You're awesome, okay? Amazing even. You belong to the top tier along with the likes of Lydia, Danny, and Jackson. So if you're having insecurities, you don't wanna know how us in the bottom tier feels."

Theo stares at Stiles for a moment, taken aback by the sudden praise and PEP talk ---Scott looking back and forth at his friends, feeling like a third wheel and the odd one out in their trio at the moment, because he's sure something significant just happened that he's _not_ a part of--- but before Theo can say anything, Stiles is taking his hands off and winking at him. "Get laid tonight." He promptly vanishes in the sea of intoxicated bodies swaying to the music and leaves Theo gaping at him.

"Dude," Scott says after a moment.

Theo shakes his head slowly.

" _Dude_ ," Scott repeats. "I think you should follow him."

Theo looks dubiously at Scott. "And say what? Do what?"

Scott lifts a shoulder, "Get laid?" His face is scrunched up in a cringe because there's a boundary to their long-time friendship that he doesn't want to cross ---even when his best friends are more than willing to cross it. They'll have to do it without Scott.

He receives a glare for his effort. 

Scott throws his hands in the air. "I don't know, Theo. I've already endured Stiles's many long and livid rave about my being a _neglectful_ friend for canceling on our plans so you could spend time together." Scott sighs apologetically at Theo's disappointed frown. "Just tell him. As he said, _just go for it_." He pats his friend once and walks back to his girlfriend who welcomes Scott with a huge smile.

***

Theo _doesn't_ go for it. Instead, he dances with Tracy Stewart, a former fling, and regrets it too late when Stiles sneaks up to them making out to give Theo his car keys.

At his questioning look, Stiles smiles, albeit tightly, careful not to glance at the girl whose arms are still wound around Theo. "You can take the Jeep. I have another ride home." Stiles gestures behind him to a tall, brown-haired guy that Theo recognizes to be a student from Devenford Prep, leaning against the staircase, and watching them with an amused expression dancing in his blue eyes.

"Stiles, are you s---" he begins to say, reaching for Tracy's hands locked behind his neck to push her away. 

" _Yes_ ," Stiles insists, lips pressed in a thin line, and Theo only then notices his stiff posture. 

He's not able to say anything more because Stiles quickly spins on his heel and hurries to the tall guy. The guy smiles at Stiles brightly and guides him out the door with a hand on the small of his back.

***

When Theo arrives home, fuming and feeling stupid, he slams his bedroom door shut and throws Stiles's keys to the bed and himself to the floor.

Shortly after Stiles left with the tall guy, he pushes Tracy away who had wanted to initiate another make-out session and stomped off the party into the Jeep. He drove by Stiles's house, climbed up the tree to his bedroom, and found it empty. He sat in the Jeep for three hours, sending a bunch of text messages to Stiles, but he never came home or responded.

Theo's phone vibrates in his pocket. He fishes it out half-heartedly and instantly perks at the notification that reads one new message from Stiles. He immediately swipes to open it and wishes he didn't.

_Sorry. I just got home. Was busy *wink emoji*_

He throws his phone like a lacrosse ball in a fit of rage and frustration and it hits his little whiteboard. He groans angrily when he sees what he drew on it the previous year that he gazes at fondly sometimes: a triangle. 

An equilateral triangle. 

_"An equilateral friendship triangle. You adore each other equally. Scott equals Stiles equals Theo. Amazingly simple, right?"_

They don't have feelings as they had a year ago. Scott is watching helplessly as Theo hurtles to the deep and Stiles is too far away to reach.

His nostrils flare as he hastily picks the eraser and wipes on the drawing forcibly. He takes a marker from his drawer, bites the lid off, and traces a drawing of another triangle.

One with incongruent lengths on all sides.

_**iii. isosceles** _

It's Lydia who notices it first, and Lydia who keeps pestering Theo about it. Theo doesn't appreciate the off-hand commentaries but more so with an actual scene to scrutinize.

They're sitting together with Allison in the bleachers, watching and supporting the BHHS Cyclones in tonight's scrimmage against their closest rival, Devenford Prep, and Lydia has been leaning to him, and whispering observations that he can see for himself, _thank you very much_. God, that sounds like Stiles.

The score is 1 to 3 favoring the guests and Coach Finstock is yammering obscenities to his players.

" _Stilinski_!" Finstock yells and they're sitting close to the benches to hear him. "Distract number 28; he seems to be engrossed with you. I like that. Let's use that." The team snickers and so does Lydia.

She leans close to Theo, "Even Finstock notices. That's gotta be a first." She smirks and turns to him. "Are you _sure_ they're not dating?"

" _I'm sure_ ," Theo replies through his clenched teeth. 

Her eyes squint at him, "Are you sure you're not just _jealous_?"

"I---" he stops short and shots her a glare. Her eyes twinkle mischievously. Theo heaves a defeated sigh and looks back to the field. "Did I say that?"

Lydia's face lights up, "Finally, Captain Stoic admits it." she says in a sing-song voice. "I should throw a party. Oh _but_ \---" she pauses dramatically and blinks up to him innocently and waves an all-encompassing hand to the field. "Didn't a party start this all?"

Allison, who chooses to stay quiet beside Lydia, bites on her lower lip to stop her laughter.

***

Theo is waiting for Stiles outside his truck after the game. Scott told them earlier that he couldn't hang out because Melissa is staying in for the first time in two weeks and would like to spend quality time with her son.

Stiles's Jeep is in Theo's because they were searching for colleges together that afternoon, and Theo offered to drive them both to school for the game. Finally, he spies Stiles coming out of the door with Devenford's number 28 right behind him. (Theo refuses to refer to him by name because he's insignificant to his and Stiles's life, okay? A stranger)

They pause for a bit in front of number 28's silver Toyota. Number 28 is saying something to Stiles that makes him flush for a bit. He's sure number 28 is convincing Stiles to let him give him a ride (just like before). Theo's really tempted to snatch Stiles away and punch the arrogant dude in the face. He plowed Scott to the ground earlier, too, so Theo's anger is _justifiable_.

After another few seconds, number 28 is opening his car and Stiles is walking towards Theo. Theo beams inwardly and fights the smug grin struggling to surface. He wants to flip number 28 the bird because huh, Stiles is not riding with him, is he? That was one time that Stiles chose him over Theo and he already decided to latch on. There's no _triangle_ with him because number 28? Is a fling of the past.

Theo drives them home in silence. The house is quiet and empty when they arrive; Theo's parents are attending a hearing in D.C. while Tara, his older sister, is in Pennsylvania studying Literature in UP. 

When they enter Theo's room, Stiles immediately searches his bag for a clean change of clothes. "I can use your shower, right? I stink so bad."

"You smell nice," Theo says absently before he can think about it. At Stiles's startled look, he quickly amends his statement. " _Compared_ to Scott. He came to me before leaving and he stinks. You're... okay."

Stiles nods dubiously. "Oh,"

"Go ahead," Theo clears his throat and gestures at the door to the bathroom adjoining his room.

After Stiles disappears into the bathroom, Theo allows himself a moment to berate himself. 

***

"You don't need to go home," Theo says, looking at Stiles who's fresh from the bathroom but still beat. "You're knackered."

Stiles yawns and sprawls onto Theo's bed. ( _Okay, that's a really nice view_ ) "Can I sleep for a bit?"

"Sure,"

"Thanks."

"Yeah," Theo clears his throat. "I'll just be here. On my side."

***

Theo wakes up in the middle of the night with a raging hard-on. Worse, the raging hard-on is currently pressed against Stiles's ass. The latter is too asleep to notice that his wiggling has stirred trouble in Theo so there's still ample time to move away from the embrace and save face. Before he can decide on his next move, Stiles's words echo in his mind.

_just go for it, you know?_

Theo didn't go for it when Stiles told him to so he ended up going home with number 28 that night. Theo still didn't go for it the following day, or the next one after that, or the next onwards. That's what Lydia's been pestering him about for months now, isn't it?

He was literally given a _go_ signal and he chose to drive backward.

Stiles freezes in Theo's arms and he knows Stiles must be awake and aware now. When Stiles moves to discreetly disentangle from the hold, Theo tightens his wrap on his waist and presses closer, more firmly, lips touching the skin of Stiles's neck. Theo hears the hitch on Stiles's breathing and Theo braves the softest of kisses on his nape.

A hand clutches at the arm around Stiles's waist. Theo wastes no time in intertwining their fingers, and belatedly, he realizes that their hands fit perfectly. The boy twists in the embrace to face Theo with wide, apprehensive, but hopeful, brown eyes illuminated by the soft light of the moon peeking from his window. "What are you doing?" he whispers.

Theo searches his eyes and then: "Going for it," he whispers back.

Stiles sighs and smiles. "Thank _fucking_ god," and it's all the encouragement Theo needs this time.

***

"What's that?" Stiles asks later, sitting shirtless on Theo's bed, pointing to the whiteboard over Theo's desk. "I noticed the drawing ages ago but I never got to ask you what it's for."

Theo, just emerging from the bathroom after cleaning himself, follows Stiles's line of sight to his whiteboard drawing from that night after the party. He walks over to it, picks the eraser like he's done months ago, and wipes the board clean.

Stiles quirks an eyebrow.

Theo rummages in the drawer for the marker, "Remember when Lydia likened our friendship ---You, me, and Scott--- to a triangle?" 

"Yeah, but that was an equilateral triangle." Stiles stands and walks over to Theo. Quickly, Theo receives him in his arms, placing his hands around Stiles---his boyfriend, right? Stiles is his boyfriend now, isn't he? Stiles loops his arms around Theo's neck in answer and gives him a soft, chaste kiss. It's amazing how it all feels natural. New, certainly, but natural. Stiles smiles against his lips. "I'm sure what you just erased didn't look like one."

Theo chuckles, caressing the narrow waist now that he's allowed to touch and hold. "No," his hands travel lower to Stiles's thighs and hauls him upward to deposit him onto the desk. As if on autopilot, Stiles parts his legs to accommodate Theo's body. Are they sure they've only been doing this for the past hours? "I replaced the initial triangle with that because it looked like the shape our friendship was taking at the time."

Stiles leans back, running one hand on Theo's bare chest and the other is playing on the hair of Theo's nape. "What do you mean? That we looked like a problematic trio for a while?"

Theo only shrugs in reply, smiling lazily at him.

Stiles doesn't push but asks. "So, what shape are we taking now?"

Theo opens the lid of the marker he's holding and carefully traces another drawing on the clean board just behind Stiles's head. Stiles twists his upper body a little to look as Theo works.

"An _isosceles_?" Stiles chuckles after Theo finishes, putting the marker back down. 

"Yup," he answers shortly, admiring his new triangle: two congruent sides and an incongruent third one.

"Why an isosceles?" Stiles asks in amusement.

Theo points at the two diagonal lines, "That's you and me, this is Scott down here," he says as he traces the horizontal line.

Stiles squints his eyes. "Are you saying we love Scott the least? Because he's got the shortest bit."

"No," Theo snorts. "It means Scott loves us the same way as always, but _us_ \---" he punctuates the word with a gentle tug on Stiles's hips to bring him closer to the edge of the desk. "Our feelings for each other have extended into something more and finally met in equal lengths tonight."

There's a slight pause before Stiles's bellowing laughter reverberates in the room at Theo's words. "You're such a dweeb," he declares.

"Hey," Theo swats at his side playfully. "I disproved Lydia and got an A-minus in Geometry."

Stiles cups Theo's neck with one hand and pulls him closer. His breath is ghosting the cheek he's nuzzling. "Then you should know that _yours_ is longer," Stiles whispers, peppering soft kisses wherever he can reach. "Thicker. And I'm totally _on board_ with that."

Theo picks him up again and walks them to the bed. 

Yes. That's one incongruence with Stiles he's happy to have.


End file.
